Love found, Love lost
by hornsrock
Summary: Rated M. The Sasuke retrieval mission is over, however Kiba did not return home. Thrust into more secrets than he ever thought possible, will Kiba be able to find love and save himself? Pairings ?/Kiba  Naru/Kiba
1. Prologue

**Summary: **The Sasuke retrieval mission is over, however Kiba did not return home. Thrust into more secrets than he ever thought possible, will Kiba be able to find love and save himself?

**Warning:** This is SLASH people! I wouldn't write anything else, trust me. This fic contains swearing, violence, and sexual situations (consensual and non consensual). The fic may skip timelines, but I hopefully you will be able to get it when I write. Also, I may decide I don't like something and take it down, or change it if it doesn't please me^^ Btw, some characters may be a teensy tiny bit out of their original personalities, but I will try to keep them as true as possible!

**Rated M for Mature: **If you are under 18 years old, look away now! Or else monsters will come out of the computer screen and eat you!

**Authors note:** This fic may start out along the Naruto timeline, but trust me it will be totally different! That is why this is fan fiction! I really do encourage reviews, especially critiques because it will help my writing tremendously. I am a big Naruto fan, and my favorite character is Kiba all the way! I am so sad that he doesn't get much screen time, and this is why he will always be the main character in my fics^^. I also enjoy different pairings than the regular Naru/Kiba and Kankuro/Kiba and such.

Also I will try to make the chapters a lot longer. This is a problem I have when writing my other fics, and it really disappoints me :(

Anyways, let's get on with the show!

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned Naruto so that I could make Kiba the main character, but alas, I don't.

Kiba gritted his teeth, the pain in his abdomen overwhelming as he rested against the rock supporting him. Tears ran down his bloody scraped cheeks, allowing the red tattoos to become more pronounced as the dirt was washed away. Slowly his left hand lifted from the ground to be placed against the stab wound in his side as his right hand continued to stroke the dirtied fur of his longtime companion. A slight hiss escaped his chapped lips as the stinging pain grew worse with each passing breath, and Kiba knew by the darkness surrounding the edges of his vision that he wouldn't be conscious much longer. He allowed his left hand to fall to the dirt once again before leaning his head back against the rocky surface, his eyes closing as a consequence. He noticed that with the onslaught of pain, his senses were dulling as more red liquid leaked out of the open wound. His once sharp nose could only smell the metallic scent of his blood, and his ears could only hear the harsh beating of his heart. Opening his eyes to try to stay conscience at least a little while longer, his gaze drifted down to the white body on his lap.

"Akamaru," the dog nin whispered lowly, fingers tightening into fists as more emerging tears burned behind his eyes. Memories flashed before him. The sound nin and him falling down into the ridge, Akamaru tucked tightly into his arms; facing the twins in the river, and being thrown back by the sheer power of the enemies punches. Akamaru biting his hand in defiance, and the quick decision to unleash their ultimate attack, only to fail twice due to Orochimaru's curse seal. Akamaru taking the shattering hit that was meant for him and the gut-wrenching feeling of fear for his friend and when the elder twin somehow merged into his own body; then the acceptance and determination he felt as he stabbed himself before making his escape through trickery. Kiba hung his head through the assault that seemed to take forever until finally he was able to clear his mind. He coughed roughly, blood spilling from his mouth as he did so. He could feel his heartbeat slow, ever so slightly.

"So this is it, Akamaru. I guess it's my time." Kiba whispered, petting the white fur before closing his eyes to slip into peaceful oblivion.

* * *

A dark shadow loomed over the boy seconds after the other had succumbed to darkness. His eyes narrowed at the sight of the dark blood flowing out of the wound, though slowing down. Gently, the figure knelt down, lifting a hand to touch the boy's cheek, tracing the red tattoos before wiping the blood off the bottom of his lips. Moving to the side so as to get a better angle, the stranger tucked one arm under Kiba's legs and placed the his other hand between the boy's back and the rock, lifting him with silent grace until the other was tucked safely against his cloaked chest. Hearing the soft sound of running feet in the distance, the figure turned his head to the side and with a giant leap, disappeared into the air, leaving only the spots of blood as evidence that somebody had been there.

* * *

Naruto awoke to the sound of beeping machines and a painful headache, each of these things telling him that he was alive and that his fight with Sasuke had not gone as well as he hoped. With a groan, he opened his eyes and looked first at the white ceiling, then at himself. He was wearing the usual Konoha blue hospital gown (which was hideous in his opinion), and under the gown his chest was bandaged tightly, as well as his arms and legs. He had several IV's stuck into his flesh, each pumping some kind of liquid into his body. Grunting, the young blond plopped his head back down on the soft pillow, but then quickly looked up again when footsteps echoed in his room.

"Oh, Naruto! You're awake!" Sakura exclaimed happily, setting down the flowers she had brought on the side table.

"Hey Sakura….err…how long have I been out for?" Naruto asked, looking into the girl's eyes.

"Well, today is Tuesday, so you've been sleeping for four days." Sakura replied.

"WHAT!" Naruto screamed, sitting up too quickly for his weakened state. "Ouch!" he mumbled, placing a hand against his chest in pain.  
"NARUTO! You baka! You could ruin your stitches doing that." Sakura yelled, forcing the blond to lay down before checking the bandages for any kind of blood leak.

"Yeah, well you haven't been sleeping for four days!" Naruto replied, irritated, causing Sakura to push down on his chest harder than necessary.

"Damn!" Naruto cursed and Sakura smiled.  
"Well, you depleted your chakra in the fight you had. I'm surprised you are even up this early; most genin would take weeks to heal. You are lucky Kakashi-sensai found you when he did, or else you would have…." Sakura trailed off, not wanting to think of the possibility, and Naruto nodded in acceptance of the answer. After a moment of hesitation, Naruto broke the silence.

"So, how is everyone else?" he questioned.  
"Well, I'm fine, thanks for asking" a voice answered, and both the occupants turned to see Shikamaru standing at the entrance, leaning against the support beams.

"Hey! Shikamaru!" Naruto laughed, inviting the other in with a wave of his hand, which Shikamaru followed. "I'm glad you're alright! Heck, did you take any damage?" the blond asked, noticing the other's nearly flawless appearance. Shikamaru sighed and lifted his right hand. "This is about it," he replied, showing his broken finger which was wrapped up and splinted.

"Haha, only you could come out of a battle with only a broken finger," Naruto laughed, then hissed at the slight pain. Sakura only shook her head, muttering to herself.

"So, what about the rest of the team?" Naruto continued, and Shikamaru nodded. "Well, Lee is alright, just a bunch of little cuts and bruises. Gaara managed to get there in time to save him from any real harm…" "WAIT!" He was interrupted by the blond. "You mean Gaara saved Lee?" Shikamaru nodded again. "Yes, it seems that our Hokage made a peace treaty with the Sand Village, and to show their support, the Sand sent Gaara and his siblings to help with our mission."

"Oh…" Naruto said, taking in all the new information. "Who would've thought? I knew Gaara had some good in him" the blond smiled.

"Yes it seems so," Shikamaru agreed, and continued on. "Chouji and Neji were both critically injured and each had to be rushed into the emergency rooms. They are still in there, so no there is no news yet. I was just about to go to Chouji's room when I heard you scream" Shikamaru said, and Naruto looked down at his hands, which were clutching his blanket in a tight grip. 'Neji….Chouji….'he thought, hoping the other two would pull through. After all, they had only been on the mission because of him. Seconds passes before the blond lifted his head again.

"Hey Shikamaru. You didn't say anything about Kiba yet. How is he?" Naruto asked, and was met by silence. Sakura looked toward the window as if it was the most interesting thing in the room, and Shikamaru looked down at the floor, hands in his pockets. A knot formed in Naruto's stomach, and he got a sick look on his face. Shikamaru noticed this, and hurried to explain, knowing what the blond was thinking.

"Naruto, he isn't dead." The look softened a little, though it was still there.

"Then what happened. Why are you acting like this?" Naruto questioned, noticing tears falling down Sakura's cheeks.

"Naruto…Kiba…he…" Shikamaru choked, trying to find the words, and Naruto almost screamed when he heard the next sentence.

"He has disappeared. We don't know where he is"

**Authors note: **

Well, what will happen to Kiba, I wonder? haha. Do you have any idea of who kidnapped him?

Hint: It will not be someone that you expect, but I love this pairing. ^^

Also, I know Naruto is a little out of character, worrying about Kiba like that when he should be more worried about Sasuke, but there is a reason for it, I promise! ^^

Tune in for the next chapter!^^ Please review^^


	2. Chapter 1

**Sorry Sorry Sorry it took so long! I haven't had enough time for anything what with school, work, dogs, family, ect... You know how it is^^ But as I promised here is the next chapter! Don't worry, it may take me a long time to post, but I will not give up on this story! I love it too much! ^^**

**Enjoy!  
**

"_Akamaru!" Kiba screamed, watching as his four legged companion flew through the air, blood dotting the ground staining it red as the dog landed on the dirt and rolled, stopping only when his small body hit the rock wall. Kiba, panicked, tried running toward his friend, but was stopped by a strong hand grabbing onto his shoulder, bruising it. _

_ "Poor kid," a soft voice hissed into his ear, causing Kiba to flinch harshly. "You couldn't even save your dog, let alone save yourself." The genin shivered, recognizing the voice as the sound nin he had been fighting. 'Why did they come after me?' he thought, trying desperately to grasp onto any type of logic. He remembered that he had escaped with Akamaru using an explosive distraction, leaving the twins to go back to Orochimaru as he believed they would. However, as he the older twin's body move within his, as he had done before, the dog nin knew he was doomed. _

_ "Did you think that you could get away with that little trick, and not pay for it?" The younger twin asked crouching in front of him, forcing Kiba to look into his eyes using his fingers. Kiba could only stare, unable to voice any of his rushing thoughts. After a moment, Sakon laughed and released his strong hold on Kiba's chin to reach behind him. Kiba's eyes widened as the other pulled out a kunai, dried blood stained on the tip of the blade. "Do you recognize this?" the twin asked, and Kiba did. This was the kunai, his kunai, which he had used to stab himself to rid the older twin from his body. It was then that he felt Ukon separate himself from his body, only to hold onto his arms when he formed his own body, keeping him trapped._

_ "Funny how you will die with the same blade you used to save yourself," the twin mocked, raising his arm before striking down…._

"Noooooo!" Kiba screamed, sitting up quickly. The young nin heard his own scream echo throughout the cave walls that he was currently residing in. As his breathing slowed down to a normal pattern, he glanced around, confused. The cave was rather big, the once jagged rocks carved out to make a rather smooth surface. There was a small fire pit in the middle of the cave floor, which looked like it had been used frequently, and a small woodpile set against the wall across from it. The rays of the sun were shining in from the entrance of the cave, lighting up all the little details of the makeshift home. Despite the little home being a cave, it was a rather comfortable dwelling.

Kiba then glanced down at himself, noticing that he was laying on a very comfortable futon. The sheet was jet black with red edges, and felt like silk under his sore body, and the feather pillows were stark white, standing out against the dark colors. His stomach was wrapped tightly, and he figured that his wound had been cleaned and stitched judging by the mess of bloody bandages and lining beside him. He was dressed only in his dirty grey kakis and ruined fishnet shirt, and he couldn't find his jacket anywhere in the cave, but he did notice a fluffy white body laying next to him.

"Akamaru!" Kiba cried, gently lifting his companion into his arms. He heard the body whine a little, and almost laughed in happiness. 'He's ok' the genin thought to himself, relief flowing through him. Tiny tears trailed down his cheeks, his hand petting the soft fur like he did before he passed out against the rock. Remembering what happened, he wondered who had brought him here, and why they would take care of his wounds like that, especially for a stranger. If it was any Konoha nin, he was sure they would take him back to the village to get aide, not set him in a cave. After a few minutes of silence, Kiba lifted his head, determination in his brown eyes.

"Don't worry, buddy, we'll get home," he whispered, before slowly standing up, careful not to harm the soft body in his arms. Leaning against the wall for support, he walked shakily to the entrance of the cave, only now seeing the seals stuck on the outside of the entrance. Curious, Kiba tried to reach out to touch one, but was stopped by what appeared to be a chakra shield. Kiba jerked his hand away as the interlaced chakra burned his fingertips, the shield only becoming visible by touch. Kiba tried one more time, but it held the same result. "No…no" Kiba muttered, clenching his eyes shut tightly. There was no way out, he realized, he was trapped.

* * *

"He is my son, Tsunade!" Tsume yelled, her face bright red from anger, her sharp nails drawing blood from digging into her palms.

"I know that Tsume, but we don't have the resources to conduct a wide-scale search! We already have three teams of Jounin searching for him, but we still have to protect this village," Tsunade explained for the second time, her own face turning red causing a vein to protrude from her right temple.

Tsume huffed, resisting the urge to reach up and pull her dark brown hair out of her head. It had now been five days since her son went missing and there had been no trace of him. Despite her best efforts of ignoring the other villagers, she couldn't help but hear harsh whispers not only directed at her son, but towards her as well.

"Her son disappeared."

"They say that he was kidnapped."

"Well…you know better, don't you?"

"I heard from some men that he betrayed the village."

"Really? How awful."

"What a shame…"

Those hurtful whispers would stop as soon as the women saw an angry Tsume walking toward them. Embarrassed and slightly scared, one woman rushed out to meet the Inuzuka.

"I'm so sorry about your son, I hope they find him soon," the woman said, bowing down in respect. Insulted by the obvious lie, Tsume glared at the group, muttering curse words at their direction. As soon as she passed, however, the whispers would start up again and Tsume had to control her sudden instincts to stomp over and pummel the group for talking about her son in such disrespect.

"Do you know what those stupid villagers are saying about Kiba? They are calling him a traitor! I know my son, and I can tell you he would never betray Konoha!" Tsume growled, pleading her case to the Hokage sitting in front of her. Tsunade sighed, leaning her head on her hands, weariness overcoming her. She knew it would be a battle as soon as she called the irate woman into her office to deliver the bad news. She was beginning to think it was a mistake sending the group of genin on the Sasuke retrieval mission, taking in all of the failures that had happened.

"I know Tsume, but I'm sorry. I can only give two more days. If he isn't found, I will be forced to call off the search teams," Tsunade said, looking into the woman's eyes. Tsume's stomach dropped, her blood running cold at the serious tone in the Hokage's voice. There was no point in arguing with her, it wouldn't get them anywhere, and it certainly wouldn't help Kiba. Besides, it was probably the council's decision, not the Hokage's, to call off the search, trying to keep the village's interests in mind.

Tsume lowered her head, trying to hold back the tears that were burning behind her eyes and Tsunade looked down at her desk in sympathy.

"I really am sorry, Tsume" the Hokage whispered, and all the other woman could do was nod.

"Is that all?" Tsume asked, wanting to get out of the office as quickly as possible.

"Yes you may leave," Tsunade said, watching sadly as the Inuzuka turned and walked out the door. Sighing, the blonde woman leaned down and opened the bottom drawer of her desk, producing a small shot glass and a rather large bottle of sake and got ready for the rest of night.

* * *

A couple of hours had passed since Kiba had woken up, and none of the questions he had asked himself had been answered. His captor, Kiba decided to call him now, had not shown up yet, and the boy was getting anxious. He had walked around the little cave dozens of times, looking for any exits, but found none. He had even tried to escape using a jutsu, only to discover that somehow his chakra lines were blocked, preventing him from doing anything. In the end, he had settled for sitting down on the futon, stroking Akamaru's fur to calm himself down. The sun was slowly setting by this point, but Kiba didn't even bother to get up to set a fire, he just didn't have the strength after being up all day.

"Akamaru, I'm sorry I got ourselves into this mess. I'm so stupid," he whispered, feeling guilty about the whole situation. He knew that he shouldn't have gone on the mission after Sasuke. It wasn't as if he cared about the raven, but with his pride, he just couldn't pass up the opportunity to prove to the others that he was a strong fighter, and now because of his rash decision, he and Akamaru were paying for it.

Suddenly what little light that was left was blocked by a shadowy figure in the entrance. Kiba instantly tensed, pulling Akamaru closer to his body. He already knew that none of his jutsu's would work, and it was pointless to try and fight in his weak condition, so his only option left was to sit there and see who had brought him here. He watched intently as the figure made a flurry of hand signals, each unreadable to Kiba, and walked inside. Once he did, the figure turned around and fixed the shield as quickly as he had taken it down before grunting.

Kiba couldn't make out what the colors the figure was wearing, but from his angle he could tell that the man had on a large oversized cloak with a wide circular collar. The dog nin didn't know what to think about this. Was the man hiding from another village? Is that why he had made a home in a cave? Why had the man brought him here?

Kiba continued to watch as the man turned around and started walking towards him, his gait as graceful as any skilled nin in Konoha. It wasn't until the figure was right on top of him that Kiba could finally see his face, the small light illuminating the features.

Kiba froze.

He forgot to breath.

He was sure he was going to die.

Before him, the beautiful face of the traitor of Konoha stared at him, his face expressionless, his red eyes holding a dangerous aura.

Before him stood Itachi Uchiha.

* * *

Sakura was irritated. No, not even irritated. She was furious. It had only been a day since Naruto had woken up and already the blonde was attempting to leave the medical room, without clearance from anybody. Well, she wasn't about to let that happen. 'Let him complain all he wants to, but he is not leaving until I say he can go!' The girl clenched her fists, attempting to calm herself before she entered her teammate's room. Stopping at a large oak door, Sakura inhaled deeply before placing her hand on the doorknob. Giving it a quick jerk, she paraded into the room, ready to give Naruto a piece of her mind. However, she stopped in complete shock when she saw the boy sitting on the edge of his bed, his head on his hands blocking his face from her view.

"….Naruto….?" She hesitantly voiced, the anger draining at the miserable look the other gave her. His blue eyes were cloudy and puffy, as if he had been crying recently, and his cheeks were red from his grief. His hair fell against his face in a drab fashion instead of sticking out like she usually saw it, and her heart clenched painfully at the drastic change in the boy.

Sakura was so confused. She guessed that he was reacting this way because of the news of Kiba, but she had no idea that the news would do…_this_…to him. Shino and Hinata were acting in a similar way, but that was understandable. Kiba was their teammate. He had been training with them, eating with them, and hanging out with them for months now. Naruto, however, had no such ties to the brunette.

Uncertain about what to do, Sakura approached Naruto slowly, sitting down beside him when the boy shifted to accommodate her. No words were said for awhile, each lost in their own thoughts, but eventually the silence was broken.

"Naruto? What…I mean…I…," Sakura tried to speak, but unsure of what to say without offending her friend.

"You want to know why I'm acting this way, is that it Sakura?" Naruto said lowly causing Sakura to whip around to face him. 'How had he known?' she thought to herself, but she didn't want to give up the advantage now that it had been said.

"Yes…I just don't understand. Don't get me wrong…I care about Kiba too…but…I don't understand why you are acting this way. There is no bond between you and him…" she trailed off when she noticed Naruto flinch harshly, and she furrowed her brows in thought.

"Is there?" she questioned softly, placing her hand on his own to give him some comfort. When no answer came forth, she sighed and lowered her eyes to the ground. "Forgive me for intruding…I…"

"Yes," Naruto whispered, and Sakura's head snapped back up.

"What?" she asked, stupidly. There was a bond? How had she not known?

Naruto smiled and laughed a little, clearing away the tense atmosphere. "Yes, Kiba and I are friends…but…" he trailed off, a small blush appearing on his cheeks. Sakura's eyes widened. She had seen this look before. The red cheeks, the far-away look in the eyes and the smile. She had seen this look when Ino had confessed that she liked Sasuke Uchiha.

"Wait…are you telling me that you and Kiba are…" she implied and jumped when Naruto let out a bark of laughter.

"No…no…he doesn't even know…" Naruto said, trying to assure Sakura that there wasn't a relationship.

"But you like him, and you want there to be…" Sakura said. Surprisingly she didn't feel any disgust at what Naruto had just confessed, just excitement, and everything clicked. His reactions made all the more sense now.

"Yeah, but it looks like I won't get the chance…" the blonde said, looking down at his hands once more and the two sat in silence once again.

**Authors note:**

**Gahhhh! Finally! I was hoping this chapter was a little longer, and I am glad to see that it is! ^^ It is sooooo time consuming writing like this, but on the other hand it is so much fun! heh heh**

**And now you guys know who kidnapped Kiba and why Naruto was acting the way he did! So tell me, do you like it? Do you hate it? *Please say you like it!* **

***Please reveiw!*  
**


	3. Chapter 2

**Woot Woot! Here we go, another chapter! It took me forever! However I have been writing in school and transferring my story onto the computer to make typing and editing go faster! So hopefully the chapters will come faster than what they have been! ^^**

**I personally LOVE this chapter..*cackles evilly* The plot is getting good! **

**ENJOY! ^^  
**

Dark blood red orbs stared down into terrified brown ones. Kiba's breath hitched, his mind unwilling to believe that such a dangerous S-ranked criminal had taken such drastic lengths to take care of a simple Konoha genin. The brunette subconsciously tightened his hold on Akamaru, taking some comfort in the body heat of his companion.

Kiba watched carefully as Itachi gracefully walked over to the cold, lifeless fire pit and kneeled down, his nimble and elegant fingers creating several seals that caused a large orange fire to erupt from the ground. The sudden light caused Kiba to flinch harshly, his pupils quickly contracting to deal with the pain. Shadows flickered throughout the cave as night took hold of the land, signaling the end of the day.

The dog nin's gaze didn't waver from the other man, his expression guarded, his body tense. Ted eyed merely glanced in his direction before the owner started taking off his cloak, throwing it harshly to the side as if it were diseased. The criminal sighed and began stretching out his limbs, bones cracking in response allowing his body to slowly relax.

Kiba continued to gaze on in confusion, wondering why the Uchiha didn't attack him, or do something to incapacitate him. After all, the dog nin was completely under the power of the criminal. Kiba winced at this realization, his pride hurting at his own admission, but knowing that there was truth behind these words.

Red orbs glanced at the young genin once again, and Kiba started running his hand through Akamaru's soft fur once more, unsure about the looks and silence. The brunette took a deep breath to help calm himself down, and ended up hissing in pain as his wound was stretched to its limit and ripped.

Suddenly, in no more than a blink of an eye, the Uchiha was by his side and Kiba gasped in surprise. He tried to move away, skin scraping against the stone wall, his weak body unable to lift itself upright. Itachi, however, quickly reached out and placed his hand on the brunette's shoulder, holding him in place with gentle strength, the power commanding him to hold still.

Kiba shut his eyes tightly, not sure what to expect. His eyes snapped open a few seconds later though as soft fingers lightly brushed his wound, sending chakra into his skin to heal the tear and he glanced up as his pain disappeared.

At once Kiba was hypnotized by the surprisingly…kind eyes staring into his. The brunette was lost and amazed at the complexity of emotion he saw in the other. From what he had heard, this man before him was supposed to be a merciless killer, with dark cold eyes and an emotionless mask. However he could not see all of these descriptions as he studied the Uchiha's face.

Itachi was radiating kindness and concern, his fingers still pressed against the genin's stomach though the wound was now fully healed leaving only stains of blood as evidence. Instead of feeling disgusted by the touch of a man who had slaughtered his own family, he felt oddly comfortable and this made him uneasy. The emotion must have been reflected on his face because with a light frown, Itachi removed his fingers quickly, taking the warmth with them.

Kiba whimpered slightly, but the sound was abruptly cut off as the genin realized this, a deep red flush rising to stain his cheeks. A slight chuckle answered his embarrassment, and once again Kiba was shocked. 'This is crazy' Kiba thought, and before he knew it, curiosity outranked his fear.

"Wh...y…" he tried to ask, but after being approximately four days without water, his voice cracked from his dry throat. Clearly Itachi had been expecting this because he reached down beside his leg and pulled up a flask, which held some sort of liquid. Quickly he unscrewed the cap and placed the opening against Kiba's dry lips. The cool metal felt delicious against his cracked skin and Kiba eagerly parted his lips to allow the fresh water to wet his mouth. In his greed he ended up swallowing more than he could handle, and violently lurched forward as he choked. Itachi removed the metal flask just in time to avoid getting wet as Kiba sputtered wildly, a little water gushing from his mouth.

"Sorry…" Kiba muttered a few minutes later as his coughing finally died down, his throat burning in the after effect. Itachi nodded.

"Next time, do not drink so quickly," the man said as if talking to a child. Kiba was about to reply with a sarcastic retort when he suddenly stopped, gawking at the other.

"You…you just spoke…" Kiba pointed out, amazed. Itachi smirked.

"Yes, I am capable of human speech," he answered, his soft voice laced with amusement. Kiba was now more confused than ever. This S-ranked criminal was actually being civil to him. He had not only taken care of Kiba's wound but had also given him water to quench is thirst. It was then that his earlier question came back to his mind.

"Why?" he whispered, brown eyes pleading for the other to answer him, to explain what was going on, why Itachi had chosen to save him. Though he almost recoiled as Itachi stared at him, or more like through him. His dark eyes (gone were the red irises) became hard as he studied the young genin before lifting his hand to place it on top of Kiba's dark brown tresses.

"It is as I intended," he muttered more to himself than to Kiba, "you truly do not remember…"

Kiba's first animalistic instinct was to force Itachi's hand away from his head for protection; however he froze as he heard the other's soft words.

"What?" he asked, wondering what the Uchiha was going on about? Why did he say he didn't remember? What should he be remembering, or more exactly not remembering? The situation was becoming too uncomfortable for the dog nin and he silently willed Akamaru to wake up.

"What the hell do you mean!" Kiba hissed his unease turning into anger. Because of this he was finally able to remove the white hand by jerking his head to the side, the hand falling to the owner's side. Itachi merely chucked at the rather childish behavior, knowing that the young Inuzuka would react this way.

"You have not changed at all, Kiba-kun," Itachi laughed, his melodic voice echoing throughout the cave. Kiba's anger dissipated as suddenly as it had come and his eyes widened in surprise. "Kiba-kun…" he whispered to himself. Even though many of his friends, most specifically Hinata, had used this honorific when saying his name, the tone the Uchiha had used sounded so familiar, and his heart panged in his chest as if he had missed it.

Itachi smiled slightly, and slowly began to stand, leaving the boy to his own thoughts. He walked over to the sturdy brown bag he had carried in, and leaned down to open the bag, a strong smell emitting from the opening. Itachi immediately scrunched up his nose in distaste, but reached inside and pulled out two plump looking fish. Kiba's skilled nose picked up the scent of the food and in stomach grumbled in a hunger he didn't know he had. Itachi glanced over, his long silky hair swaying. Kiba blushed once again embarrassment and looked away, attempting to gain control.

Silence reigned as Itachi took a medium frying pan from the corner of the cave and placed the fish neatly inside before placing it above the fire. The genin's stomach rumbled again as the fresh scent of cooking fish filled

the air, but he abstained from scooting closer to the fire. Instead he continued to watch the Uchiha as the other flipped the fish and sprinkled them with seasoning, making sure the food was seared perfectly.

Gazing at the fire had a memorizing effect on the genin, and he felt his body relax from his previously stiff posture. So much had happened in the past two hours, and he was no closer to the answer to his question than he was before Itachi walked into the cave. He sighed, beginning to wonder why he felt no fear toward the Uchiha anymore, and why his name whispered from those lips was so familiar and friendly. All that he was told about Itachi Uchiha escaped him as he studied the man's movements, so graceful even while cooking. Kiba wished once again that Akamaru was awake, to see if the dog would act the same way he was feeling. After all they had such a close bond that they actually had the same inclinations most of the time.

He was driven out of his reverie when a plate was placed in front of him, the fish looking delectable by the seasoning which darkened the meat. Just as with the water, Kiba eagerly reached and a tore a chunk of flesh off the cooked fish, ignoring the stinging pain of the heat, and slipped it into his mouth. He moaned at the salty tasting fish which was cooked to perfection, quickly swallowing it and reaching out for more.

Itachi silently sad down across from Kiba, knees bent and back straightened in a noble fashion. He placed his plate on top of his legs and unlike Kiba, he used a simple pair of wooden chopsticks to tear the meat off his own piece of fish, placing it delicately in his mouth and chewing carefully. By the time Itachi had taken just three bites, Kiba was completely done with his fish, and he had to fight with himself not to lick the empty plate.

The genin looked down at the floor, clearly wanting more to eat, but not daring to voice his desire. However he was a little surprised and grateful when a half eaten piece of fish was placed before him, with a whispered "Here…" Nodding his thanks, Kiba gobbled up the remaining food, and sat back in relief now that his stomach was no longer eating itself in hunger.

Now that food was no longer between them, the two just sat across from each other, Kiba looking down while Itachi stared at the genin. Kiba was thinking hard on what had just transpired. Instead of attacking him, Itachi had given him water and cooked him food, which was way different than what he had originally thought would happen. He no longer felt uncomfortable around the Uchiha, since the other had shown him nothing but kindness toward him.

"Thank you," Kiba said, looking up into Itachi's eyes to show his immense gratitude. The Uchiha smiled, knowing he had gained the Inuzuka's trust. It was then Kiba decided to ask his previous question again.

"Why did you rescue me?" Itachi frowned and glanced down at the furry white dog the boy held in his lap, knowing that eventually Kiba would find the true reason behind his actions.

"Because I sensed you needed help…" he replied softly, and he felt more than saw the boy's anger rise once more.

"That ain't an answer and you know it!" the brunette exploded, momentarily forgetting just exactly who was sitting across from him, his famous Inuzuka temper taking over his senses.

Itachi's frown deepened distorting his serene face, but he showed no outward movement of his displeasure.

"Hn…" he mocked, choosing for the boy's safety not to talk any longer. Furious, Kiba felt like punching the Uchiha right in his perfect face, marking it up, but knew that the action wouldn't get him very far especially against someone so skilled. Hell he probably wouldn't even be able to nick the glistening skin with his sharp claws. Instead he leaned back against the smooth rock, taking deep regular breaths like he was taught to help calm himself down.

Itachi looked on; amusement showing clearly on his face as Kiba's body visible relaxed in his exercise. The genin, once he knew he had conquered his anger, opened his eyes, thinking of a more specific question.

"Why would you choose to help me? It's not like I'm important anyways…" he stated, hoping now the other would provide more insight.

"And who says you are not important?" Itachi retorted and Kiba glared.

"Who says I am important! I can't do nothing spectacular, everyone knows that!" Kiba hissed his poor self-esteem showing for the first time.

Itachi studied the young boy, the way his posture drooped in a defeated stance, his face reflecting a sadness that not many people saw. Tears had formed, but his stubbornness refused to let them fall, and his hands clenched upon themselves, nails digging into his skin. The scene was heartbreaking and Itachi couldn't allow it to continue.

Reaching forward the Uchiha placed his fingers under the brunette's chin, lifting it up slightly while he leaned forward.

"You are important to me…" he whispered before crushing his soft lips against surprised ones.

* * *

Tsunade groaned and rubbed her eyes, the previously full sake cup tipped over and leaking whatever liquid it had once held. She slowly straightened her back, hearing it crack in her old age and let out a sigh as she relaxed from the torture of bending over her desk, reading papers. Documents were scattered across the wooden, and she growled when she noticed some old sake smearing the writing on one of scrolls.

'This is not my day…' she thought to herself, laying her head on the palms of her hands. Even though she would love nothing better than to slack off on her work, her obligation to Inuzuka family kept her from doing so; that and her ever annoying assistant Shizune peeking into the office to make sure she was doing her duty. Drowsily she opened her bottom desk drawer and glared at the empty space. 'I have to remember to stock it with more sake…' she noted before slamming it shut.

However that was not the only slam she heard. Closing her eyes in annoyance, she took a deep breath and slowly sat back up in her chair, turning to face her new guest. Naruto stood before her, clearly just out of the hospital, judging by the lack of his normal headache causing orange jumpsuit. His dingy yellow hair was weighted down by oil, his skin more pale than tan, and his eyes were bloodshot; but his blue irises were as piercing as ever, and his gaze was focused on, well, her.

Just when she was about to reprimand him for barging in with no appointment, her quickly interrupted her, desperation in his voice.

"Give me a mission," Naruto demanded, his tone leaving no room for argument. Tsunade just looked at him before nodding towards the door, and he hurriedly turned around to close it, making sure no one else could hear their conversation.

"I had a feeling you would come here, Naruto," Tsunade began, and was a little disheartened when the blonde did not respond. Glaring, she decided to get right to the point.

"What kind of mission do you want? And mind you, I do not have to concede, I'm just curious what your going say, although I already have a feeling what it is," she stated, and waited for the boy to reply.

Naruto opened his mouth, but hesitated, cursing his weakness. He had come into the office with a goal in mind, but now that he was finally here facing the Hokage, he found that his courage was slowly draining. He wanted to scream, curse, throw furniture around, but knew he could not; not if he really wanted to obtain his wish.

"I want you to assign me to a Kiba retrieval mission," he said in a shaky breath, and formed his hand into a fist when the woman chuckled.

"What the hell do you think I have been doing? Just sitting here…minding my own business? Who do you think you are? I have three teams of jounin out there, looking for Kiba, and they have come up with nothing! NOTHING! What makes you think you can find him?" she asked, her temper flaring. Three days without any proper rest had caused her to snap at her favored student, and Naruto unconsciously stepped back. "My answer is no. You just got out of intensive care, and you need to rest. I do not want to send you on another retrieval mission, especially based upon how the last one went…" she continues, voice sharp. However this did not deter Naruto, in fact it made him even angrier.

"What? How can you say that? You can't judge future missions based on past ones!" he shouted, causing a vein to form on the older woman's forehead. "I'm fine! If I can walk, I can go on a mission!" he went on, using his sensei's logic to justify his position. But he could tell that this did not convince the Hokage. Growling, Naruto began pacing around the large room before turning accusing eyes onto Tsunade.

"Sure, you let me go when it's Sasuke at stake, cause he's a Uchiha, right? But when it's someone who is not so powerful, you don't care, do you?"

The sound of splitting wood echoed through the air, and Naruto's eyes widened in fear as he stared at the fuming woman. He only had time to think that maybe he had gone too far before a hard fist slammed into his cheek, knocking him backwards into the stone wall. Pain flared throughout his body, but as he sat up from his fallen state he realized that she had not hit him with her full strength and he was thankful for it, especially when he noticed how easily she had bashed her desk in half. Slowly he brought his hand up to his cheek and winced as he felt a huge bruise forming, but other than that he was fine.

Carefully he looked up at Tsunade, who was glaring down at him, her fist still held in the air. Suddenly she bent down and grabbed him by the hospital gown collar, lifting him as if he weighed nothing until they were eye level.

"Listen here, punk! Don't you ever, EVER, imply that I don't care about the people in this village! I care about them all, equally, and that includes both you and Kiba. Understand?" she hissed.

"Y…yes…" Naruto whispered, holding his hands up beside him in surrender. Satisfied, Tsunade gently set the blond down on the ground, feeling only a little regret at how she had treated him, but knowing that it needed to be done. She stilled, though, when she saw tears slide down the whiskered cheeks.

"Please…granny….please let me go…" he begged, startling Tsunade. She had never seen him act this way before, and she allowed the nickname to pass, eager to find out more.

"Why do you want to go so badly?" she asked softly, placing her hand on his bruised face, eyes softening when he leaned into her touch.

"Because…I love him…"

* * *

Kiba gasped, his mind freezing, and this gave Itachi the opportunity to slip his tongue past the young boy's chapped lips, savoring the flavor of a combination of fish and Kiba's own unique taste. Itachi moaned in pleasure, pleased to finally have the one thing he had desired ever since he had left Konoha. After a few seconds more, the Uchiha stopped and moved back, awaiting the brunette's reaction.

Kiba, at first, didn't have enough brain power to form a response, his mind slowed by the other's romantic attack on him, but after the event started to sink in, he exploded.

"What the hell!" he growled, claws and fangs extending as his animalistic nature took over. "You fucking pervert!" Itachi didn't even wince at the name, just sat there and smiled, and this made Kiba all the more furious. Thinking quickly, he lifted his companion and laid the dog beside him, determined not to get Akamaru hurt in the skirmish he knew would follow.

"Please, Kiba-kun. Sit down. You will only injure yourself further…" Itachi warned, his voice as smooth as ever.

"Why? So you can molest me again!"

"It was a simple kiss…"

"BULLSHIT!" Kiba shouted, and lunged at the traitor, wanting to claw his fucking perfect face up. Itachi gracefully dodged the punch aimed for him and reached around to grab the genin's right wrist, pulling the warm body closer to his own.

"I do not wish to hurt you, Kiba-kun," his silky voice whispered into Kiba's ear, and for some unknown reason, the boy shivered, Goosebumps rising on his arms and chest. This confused and scared Kiba even more than the kiss did, because this was his own body reacting to the other man, not the other way around. Cursing, Kiba used the rest of strength to try to fight his way out of the Uchiha's iron hold, but stopped when he heard a faint bark.

Both the occupants turned to face the now standing dog, his head cocked to the side in confusion, but otherwise alive and well.

"Akamaru…" Kiba breathed, feeling the other's grip on him loosen to allow him to run over to his best friend. The dog lover fell on his knees and scooped his white companion into his arms, burying his face into the soft fur. "Akamaru…" he said once again, happiness flooding through his system and transmitting inside the cave. It ended, however, as he felt Itachi sit beside him and his body quickly tensed.

"Get away you…." Kiba began, but was taken off guard when Akamaru let out another high pitched bark, and leaped from his owner's tan arms into the Uchiha's opened ones, acting as if this were an every day occurrence.

"What…the…" Kiba whispered, feeling betrayed. He heard Itachi chuckle and then Akamaru was passed into his arms again, and he didn't even try to move away when Itachi sat across from him.

"I guess now is a good time to explain, hm?" Itachi asked, and Kiba nodded, eager to know what was happening.

**HAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**I am so happy this chapter was longer, I am keeping up with my promise to myself! ^^**

**Now you guys know the plot twist! Crazy is it not? **

**I wonder why Itachi wants Kiba...and what secrets is he hiding? hmmmm...find out in the next chapter!**

**Please read and review! ^^  
**


	4. Chapter 3

**Finally! I have updated! I think a round of applause is in order...and for taking so long, I made the chapter extra extra long! Muahahaha. This is the length that I want to make the rest of the chapters...so hopefully that will happen! I even write in school to help with this. I am inspired once more, and am determined to finish my stories! **

**For those who love this story and review:**

**THANK YOU SO MUCH!**

**Reviewing helps me and inspires me to write more, because they make me feel so good! ^^**

**Sooooo now on to the chapter!**

**ENJOY ^^  
**

Akamaru lazily sat in the genin's lap, panting from the exertion of moving earlier. His long red tongue hung out of his mouth as he looked from one human to the next, completely relaxed in each of their presence.

Kiba sat still, unable to find the strength to even lift his head from its lowered position. His eyes were scrunched up in confusion and pain, but the Uchiha could tell that he was actively listening.

"It's been a long time Inuzuka Kiba, but I came back, just as I promised…" Itachi began, pausing to see if the boy would say anything. Silence answered his inquisition, and with confidence he began to speak again.

"You don't remember anything, so you must be confused," At this Kiba glanced up with questioning eyes, "and if you will, allow me to enlighten you," Itachi whispered, lifting his pointer and middle fingers and placing them both against the brunette's forehead, right between his light brown orbs. Kiba closed his eyes once again, but didn't make a move to push the other away. Satisfied, Itachi took a deep breath and with a flick of his slender wrist, he broke the jutsu he held over Kiba, and both were thrust into darkness.

**Five years ago…..**

"Sasuke…hey Sasuke! Wait up!" Kiba laughed, running after the slightly older boy, the wind whipping the hair into his face, blurring his vision a little. Sasuke just tilted his head to the side to glance behind and poked his tongue out in a mocking manner before increasing his speed, dodging between the many trees that grew on the Uchiha compound. Kiba growled, but not in annoyance. Instead he crouched down until he was on all fours like the many animals his family took care of, and began to leap, using the strong muscles he had developed in his thighs to catch up to the dark haired boy.

Itachi sighed, knowing that he would never be able to concentrate on his meditation with all the noise blasting around him. After all he had spent the last two hours attempting to block out the playful banter of his younger brother and the Inuzuka, but remained unsuccessful.

Sighing once more, Itachi cracked one dark eye open in time to witness Kiba take a gigantic leap and tackle Sasuke from behind, causing them both to fall off balance and roll in the grass, collecting various scrapes and bruises. The older Uchiha smiled upon hearing his brother's many complaints and nicknames aimed at his brunette friend.

Itachi continued to study the two as they played; now throwing kicks and punches in an imitation of their family members, trying to gain the upper hand to see who the best was. He laughed to himself when Kiba accidentally tripped over a fallen branch, his head slamming into Sasuke's as a result. Both yelled out in surprise and pain, hands flying up to soothe their injuries for a few seconds before resuming in their play fighting.

As the minutes passed by, the vibrant energy the two has started out with began to visibly fade and so they only punched each other half heartedly, still trying to determine a clear winner. Admiring the younger boys' tenacity, he silently counted down the seconds in which he believed the two would downright collapse, and was a little disappointed that he was a second off.

The Uchiha leaned back to stretch his body when his hand came into contact with something solid, yet soft. Wondering what it was, he glanced down and almost gave into the urge to slap his forehead. Earlier, because of the heat that Konoha was so well known for, the Inuzuka had taken off his brand new oversized grey jacket and placed it on the porch beside the eldest sibling, neatly folded. Even though Itachi did not have the heightened senses that Kiba's clan possessed, he could still make out the faint traces of earthy dirt and clog, a smell that was nonetheless pleasing to him. Taking a deep breath, he looked back over the large expanse of land, spotting the two figures that had not moved.

They both lay on the green grass, laughing and panting at the same time, their bodies turned on their sides to face each other, mirth showing on the youthful features. Itachi felt his chest lurch, and though he would never admit it to anyone, he wished that he had such a friend to ease his lonely heart. Yes, he had enough insight and courage to realize he was jealous of Sasuke.

Even though his father would adamantly protest against it, Itachi knew he was not above any other ninja in the village, both physically and emotionally. It was true that he gained his current jounin rank by his heritage, a heritage which gave him a clear advantage when it game to fighting in gengetsu style; but as his bruises had proven, he was rather weak in taijutsu, especially when pitted against somebody like Kakashi-sensei. However this one flaw did not stop the whispers and rumors flowing from his peers' mouths, causing a great rift between him and the other young shinobi. So, at only fourteen years of age, Itachi was completely and utterly alone.

Perhaps this was why, whenever the Inuzuka came over, he would always decide to sit outside under the pretense of meditation and silently watch the two eight year olds play. Getting the Inuzuka to come over though, had been a great battle in and of itself. Fuguku had been furious when Sasuke had first entertained the notion of bringing a friend over, and violently slammed the study door in his son's face, much like he had when Itachi was younger. For days afterwards, he had complained and gone on about how his youngest son was a disgrace, wanting to affiliate with the trash of the village, a village that should rightfully belong in the controlling grasp of the Uchiha. However, this time their mother had interfered and argued her position that Sasuke, in order to become a powerful well-balanced ninja, needed to associate with someone his own age, else there would be consequences.

What those consequences were, nobody really knew for sure, but a few days later Fukugu eventually consented based on the logic that he wanted Sasuke to become as strong as possible, and though unspoken, he could use the friendship to gain an alliance with a strong, secure clan. Itachi had always resented the way his father had fooled Sasuke and used Kiba, but he was glad of the time the loud, brash Inuzuka spent at the compound.

A shadow fell gently over the pondering teen, and he tensed for a second before he felt the warm chakra of his mother envelop his own. Itachi instantly relaxed, sighing in relief. If his father had caught him daydreaming when he was supposed to be meditating, there was no doubt in his mind that he would be severely punished. He shivered slightly, hatred burning throughout his body until he was able to quench it with self-control, but his ever intuitive mother had caught the interruption in his chakra.

"Itachi…" she said softly, setting her small hand on his shoulder in warning, and he nodded in understanding. Satisfied, is mother turned her attention to the fallen boys, smiling.

"Itachi," she began once again, and the Uchiha turned his attention onto her respectfully. "I need you to watch over Kiba for a few hours…your father needs to talk to Sasuke..." she said, tone growing hard at the end. Itachi knew perfectly well what that meant. His father would no doubt attempt to persuade Sasuke of the Uchiha's dominance over the other people and clans of Konoha, and his mother clearly did not agree with this point of view. However, they could do nothing against the head of the clan, or their actions would result in certain death.

"Yes mother," he said, causing the woman to move her hand from his broad shoulder to settle on top of his head in a comforting gesture. He didn't need to hear the words to know that she was grateful.

"Sasuke!" she called out, and the boy quickly sat up, Kiba right by his side. Both were covered in grass and dirt from their earlier escapades, each sporting wide grins. The Uchiha woman laughed quietly to herself before taking on a serious tone. "Sasuke, clean yourself quickly, your father wants to see you," she stated and the smile fell from the young boy's face, Kiba following suit. Itachi knew exactly what his brother was feeling, the mixture of anger and fear showing on his face. It seemed that Sasuke hated these personal meetings with their father as much as Itachi did.

Kiba glanced at his friend with a worried expression as Sasuke carefully masked his emotions and stood up. Itachi felt his mother tense again as the younger boy walked toward them, his gait even and posture solid, onyx eyes empty. Their mother continued to stand where she was even as Sasuke disappeared into the estate, trying to regain her own courage to walk in after her son. Slowly she detached herself from the world around her, as expected from the wife of the Uchiha leader, and with one last pat she swiftly turned and followed Sasuke inside.

After she left, Itachi began to relax once more, not realizing that he himself had tensed during the exchange. Taking a deep breath, he looked toward Kiba, who had remained sitting on the grass, head bowed. It was unusual to see the normally energetic boy so solemn, and caused Itachi's curious nature to emerge.

Standing, Itachi strolled over to the young boy and sat down in front of him, smiling slightly as Kiba looked up at him.

"Hello Kiba-kun…" Itachi started, not really knowing how to start a casual conversation. His minimal social skills were reduced to politeness, politeness that he used when talking to his senseis' and father. Without the regular social interaction of the other genin and chuunin his age, he found it slightly difficult to talk to Kiba.

"Hello, Itachi-san," Kiba replied, starting to smile. This was the first time that Sasuke's older brother had ever attempted to talk to him. Normally whenever his mother and Sasuke's father allowed him to come over, the older Uchiha would just sit outside and silently watch them play. Kiba had talked about this odd behavior with Sasuke; believing like the others in the village that Itachi was rather snobbish. However Sasuke had laughed at this accusation, replying that his big brother was just shy and that's why he didn't have many friends.

Kiba had accepted this explanation without hesitation, and asked nothing more about it.

He was unnerved though when Sasuke's mother had called her son inside. Kiba was not stupid, and knew that this meeting would not go well for his friend. It never did. Not only that but he was left alone with the silent older Uchiha, and was unsure how to act around the proper clan member. This conversation though, he could do this.

Itachi nodded; glad the Inuzuka had spoken back. It was a good start. Quickly he glanced toward the house, as though searching its depths before turning to the boy.

"So…" Itachi tried, trailing off. He suddenly realized that he had no clue what subjects to talk about. He didn't know Kiba's likes or dislikes, what his interests were, what he was afraid of. Nothing. Dismayed at this revelation, the raven reached into his pocket, his soft fingers closing around something hard. He smiled as an idea formed.

"Would you like a dango, Kiba-kun?" he asked, holding out the delicious sweet.

"Sure!" Kiba replied with joy. He reached out, his fingers brushing over Itachi's palm as he grabbed the candy.

Both gasped in surprise as a feeling of electricity seemed to pass through them, leaving a tingling sensation where their skin had touched. Kiba quickly withdrew, a small chuckle escaping his parted lips.

Itachi's eyes widened as he felt heat blossom on his cheeks, causing him to look down at the ground. 'What was that?' he asked himself. He had never felt anything that intense without some sort of injury occurring in the process. What surprised him most was that he actually enjoyed the feeling.

"Well…thanks for the dango, Itachi-san," Kiba started, wanting to be rid of the rather awkward silence that had formed.

"It was nothing," Itachi responded, glad that the deep red blush had died down.

"Hehe…well…do you think Sasuke is alright?" the brunette asked, his tone surprisingly serious for one so young. Hiding his shock, Itachi remembered that Kiba and his little brother were the best of friends, so they must have conversed about what happened in the house.

"I don't know…" Itachi said honestly, shrugging his shoulders in a show of nonchalance. "But I went through the same thing, so I'm sure Sasuke can handle it." Upon hearing this, Kiba's mood lightened dramatically, his features becoming childlike once more.

Silence reigned again, yet it was a more comfortable silence, allowing the two to enjoy each other's company, and more importantly, to form the beginning of a strong bond.

* * *

Months passed, and as Fugaku called on Sasuke more and more often, Itachi and Kiba became closer. They were able to learn more about each other, and found that they shared much of the same interests, such as drawing. Kiba drew little comics almost every time he visited, inserting characters that resembled people he knew, such as Sasuke. Often he would draw the young raven in a perilous situation, one that he could not get out of no matter what silly things he tried to save himself with. One comic Itachi was fond of is when Sasuke attempted to escape the classroom lecture by dressing as a girl, and in the tiny text bubble were the words 'I feel pretty!'. Itachi had burst out laughing when he read this, his first time in a long while, and he laughed even harder at the dumbfounded look on the brunette's face.

Whereas Kiba loved to draw funny comics, Itachi preferred creating portraits, and he had a great many. Some were of his sensei, mostly drawn when he was trying to perfect the eyes of people. Others were of his mother when she was in her most peaceful moments. Most were of his brother, as Sasuke usually enthusiastically agreed to model for him, but more were of Kiba. Kiba when he was laughing, thinking, looking around in wonderment, and sleeping. His most treasured portrait was Kiba with the most serene look upon his face, his eyes holding an emotion one could not place. Itachi had made sure that not one detail was out of place, that every single strand of hair was drawn, every crinkle of his smiling eyes and mouth. This portrait touched him in a way that his others did not, and he truly believed this drawing to be his best work. However he kept his portraits of Kiba very private, not wanting anyone to find out about his new obsession.

It was a rather chilly day in September when the Uchiha's and Inuzuka's relationship took a drastic change.

Once again Sasuke had been called inside, leaving Itachi to watch over Kiba, a chore in which he had no problem accomplishing. They were currently in the woods, playing a hiding game with Itachi being the dreaded seeker and Kiba, naturally, being the one hiding.

Itachi smirked in amusement while walking around in circles, pretending not to be able to find the younger boy, though he could easily sense the other's flaring chakra signature. The Uchiha wasn't sure if Kiba had realized this already, but for entertainment continued to play anyway.

Itachi stopped suddenly, a rather evil idea forming in his head. With a small smile upon his lips, the raven closed his eyes and skillfully hid his chakra, leaving him invisible to the senses. Quickly he reached the spot where he knew Kiba to be hiding, making sure to remain silent and below the wind so the Inuzuka's delicate nose would not pick up his scent right away.

Leaning against the tree, he turned his head to the side as he heard the faint tune of humming, and realized with a start that the tune was that of a song he often hummed or sang himself. Shaking his head in wonder, he slowly snuck around the tree Kiba was hiding behind, an evil glint in his eye.

As soon as he was completely sure that the boy was totally distracted, he reached out and sprang into action. In one second, Itachi clutched onto Kiba's shoulders, while simultaneously leaning forward, placing his mouth into the younger's ear and screaming "Boo!" Itachi was extremely satisfied with Kiba's response, the Inuzuka jumping high and yelling in frightened shock. Yes we was satisfied, however he had not expected the brunette to violently shift his body around to face the laughing Uchiha. Neither had realized just how close their proximity was, thus in a purely innocent moment, their lips locked.

Itachi's dark eyes widened as electricity raced throughout his thin body, causing his face and limbs to heat up, a deep blush showing on his usually pale face much like it had when their hands had touched months ago. Before the teen completely lost control of his mind and feelings, he quickly separated himself from the smaller boy, his body slamming into the round with the force he used. The raven just sat there where he had landed, his breathing harsh and irregular and body shaking.

His usually sharp mind could not seem to process what had just happened, but somehow he knew that with this small and accidental act, he and the young Inuzuka's friendship had changed dramatically.

After a few minutes of tense silence, Itachi glanced up, his gaze locking with Kiba's light brown eyes. To his surprise, he saw that the younger boy was looking intently at him, a small smile upon his lips, his soft fingers tracing over them.

"Kiba-kun?" Itachi whispered, wondering what his silent companion was thinking. By the expression on his face, Itachi was sure that the boy was not upset over what had happened. He didn't even look disgusted or wronged, but instead seemed almost happy, but that couldn't be. Kiba was so young; he shouldn't have enjoyed the exchange at all.

"Kiba-kun…are you alright? I am sorry for what happened. If you do not want to speak to me any further, I understand…" Itachi stated, looking down in shame while cursing himself and his body for enjoying what had occurred. He knew it was wrong, and if his father somehow found out then he was be severely punished; but he could not deny that some part of it felt right.

"Itachi-san," Kiba's voice broke through his reverie. Cautiously Itachi looked toward Kiba once more, showing the other he was listening and prepared for whatever happened next, even if it meant he would no longer have a friend.

"Itachi-san…can we do that again?" the brunette asked, staring at Itachi expectantly. The Uchiha felt his lower jaw drop in shock, and he could not contain the stupid expression that formed on his face. Whatever he had thought the other would say, this was not it. Not even close.

Instead of waiting for an answer, Kiba crawled to the fallen teen and leaning up, placed his lips against Itachi's, kissing him softly as a mother would kiss her child. At this, Itachi's carefully built defenses fell, and in a moment that defined their relationship as greater than friends, Itachi kissed back.

* * *

Ten months had passed since that fateful incident. Itachi had witnessed many things, from the happy times when Kiba had turned nine, to the more manic and angry times, where his father took on an even more vengeful attitude toward the village.

Itachi most often had to shield Kiba from these episodes whenever the younger boy came over, and so they were able to spend more time together. This time allowed them to get to know each other better…their dreams and phobias (for some strange reason Kiba absolutely hated bugs, and Itachi mused that maybe it was because of the fleas that often infested their house). They also learned more about each other's families, and even talked about what they wanted for their futures.

Every chance they were allowed they would kiss, tasting one another, feelings becoming bolder. Itachi felt himself loving the younger boy more and more, to the point where one day he knew he was in love with Kiba and he was fairly certain that the brunette felt the same way.

It was because of this reason that out of desperation, Itachi turned to the Hokage for help with his family. It was that day that changed the raven's path from the one he wanted to the one he had to take.

_"My family are planning a coup…they want to rule Konoha, Hogake-sama..." Itachi stated in a monotone voice, not allowing any emotion to show at all. This was a business visit, an informational showing. He watched as Sarutobi leaned back in his chair, the lines on his face making him look so much older than he really was. They were lines of stress from turmoil and running the village as efficiently as possible while losing those close to him. A deep frown marred his face as he took in the new threat, and what he was planning to do about it._

_ "Itachi Uchiha, are you in the inner circle of this plan?" The Hogake asked, and sighed when the raven nodded._

_ "My father wanted me to become my current rank so that I can obtain information about the village and shinobi to report back to him…he raised me to become a spy for my clan." Itachi reported, deciding not to leave any detail out. If he wanted help, he knew he had to tell the truth about everything to get the Hogake to trust him._

_ "And are you loyal to your clan, or to the village, Itachi?" Sarutobi asked, seriousness in his voice._

_ "I…I am loyal to Konoha…" Itachi spoke, sealing his fate._

_ "Good, that is what I wanted to hear. Now that I know where your loyalties lie, I have a mission for you…" the Hogake said, guilt echoing in his gritty voice. At his Itachi tensed, knowing that he would not like this mission yet he was prepared to do just about anything to protect Konoha and Kiba. _

_ "Here is the scroll…I do not want to say this out loud, just in case anyone is listening. Do not destroy the scroll, but keep it so that it may provide proof of what you say should you decide to come back to the village…" _

_ "Come back?" Itachi asked, a chill running through him. Sarutobi just nodded, his eyes piercing._

_ "I am sorry to put this on you, Itachi, but you are the only one I can trust with this mission…you may tell one other person about this, one person that you trust. I believe you can complete this mission…for Konoha." The Hogake finished as the Uchiha took the scroll with a heavy heart. _

_ "Read it carefully. You are dismissed. Good luck…"_

Itachi had indeed read the mission scroll; once, twice, then three times. He could not believe what the Hogake was asking him to do, but deep in his heart he knew there was no other way. And for the safety of Konoha, he would do it.

Telling Kiba, however was a totally different matter. The brunette cursed, cried, begged until there were no more words or tears left, but he tried again and again to persuade Itachi not to do the mission. Each attempt failed, however, as they both knew it would until eventually the Inuzuka had accepted it, and kept his promise not to tell anyone else, not even Sasuke.

Finally the night had come when Itachi knew he needed to act. Fugaku had gone crazy, rallying the rest of the clan together to explain his plan. They were to attack the village the next day, based off the false information Itachi had given. Anyone that resisted was to be cut down, including innocents who could not fight, and if the other clan leaders did not accept Uchiha rule, then the entire clan had to wiped out.

Itachi had frozen upon hearing this last demand, his heart clenching. If what he said were true, then Kiba would certainly die. There was no time to warn the Hogake of what was to happen, so he decided on the only course of action he could take.

He waited until everyone had gone to bed before he started his plan. He carefully snuck into the houses on the border of the compound, slitting the throats of each body he ran into. He made sure that they each died a quick death for he did not agree with suffering. He worked slowly, taking his time so as not to alert anyone. He was lucky that there were no other children besides him and Sasuke, else he would have had a more difficult time accomplishing his mission.

A few hours had passed and he had almost disposed of everyone; everyone except his father, mother and brother. Taking a deep breath, he entered his home, being careful not to step on any creaking floorboards. Everything was still in the dead of night, taking on a creepy tone. The various furniture created dangerous looking shapes upon the walls and ground, yet he was concentrating so hard that he did pay any attention to these frivolous things, and soon he was in the sleeping wing.

Instead of turning left where his own room was located, he took a right, heading down the darkened hallway which held the bedroom of his parents. Stealthily, he opened the door and stepped inside, keeping his body within the shadows as he made his way to the bed. It took all his courage to reach out and grab the covers, and lifting his kunai to chest level, he jerked the heavy blanket back.

No one was there.

He looked around in confusion, his guard up as he studied each potential threat in the room. Seeing as there was no threat, he frowned deeply, brow furrowed. 'What is going on?' he though, stepping out of the large bedroom and glancing in each direction. Again seeing nothing, he began to walk along the hall, senses on high alert. He was not prepared, though, for the sudden attack.

Thinking quickly, his instincts coming into play, he leaped away, leaving the kunai to swish through the empty spot he once occupied. During that time, he had already taken out two of his own kunai, holding them out in front of him. A chill filled the air as Fugaku stepped out from a hidden room, a dark scowl on his masculine features.

"So Itachi…not only do you dishonor my name, but you betray your entire clan…" he spoke, taking yet another large kunai out from his cloak.

"You were going to destroy this village. I could not allow that to happen," Itachi responded, his irises changing shade from onyx to a deep red.

"I did not want to destroy the village; I wanted to take what is rightfully ours! We were always meant to rule this village. Don't you get it? No…of course you don't," the elder Uchiha scoffed, hate showing in his red eyes. "You have ruined our chance, you ungrateful brat, and you will pay with your life!" Fugaku quickly lunged forward, and each kunai clashed in a ring of sound.

This fight continued for a while, each flash of lightning illuminating the two figures and their hate filled faces. Drops of blood littered the ground, as well as pieces of wood and glass. The two were silent as they battled, trying to find any weaknesses in the other's attacks and defenses. It was clear that although Itachi was skilled, he had not the stamina of his father, and bit by bit the younger Uchiha was kicked back, taking on more of a defensive way.

"Damnit…" Itachi cursed quietly as he was taken off balance by a brutal side kick, and he crashed violently into the wall, taking the breath from him. As he was getting his bearings back, he looked up to see his father standing over him, a smirk on his face.

"So, after all I taught you and all the training, you end up weak and pathetic," Fugaku sneered, glaring down at his eldest son. "I've seen how you and that Inuzuka act around each other, and when I take control of Konoha, that little brat will die painfully by my own hand…" he threatened, taking a long sword off the wall and raising it to prepare to plunge it into Itachi's torso.

However this was not to be. Madness took over the young raven upon hearing the threat, and with shocking speed he took the opportunity to plunge a chakra filled fist into his father's exposed chest, bursting through the other end.

His father's eyes widened, a slight gasp escaping his bloodied parted lips before falling heavily on the ground, never to move again. Itachi sighed, his aching body protesting as he stood up, leaning to his right. He looked down at his father's prone body once more, before looking up to face his mother's dark eyes.

Instead of looking frightened of the death of the clan leader, her expression was solemn and accepting as she stood in the wreckage of her once immaculate home.

"Itachi…" she whispered, voice weak and shaky, but she nodded once, knowing there was nothing left for her here and understanding what was to happen.

In one swift motion, Itachi slit the throat of his mother, not able to look when she fell. He turned when he heard the thud of the second body that night, only to walk into Sasuke's kneeling form. His little brother had tears running down his puffy cheeks, his little form shaking in utter fear. Itachi had dreaded this moment since he first read the mission scroll, dreaded it when he read those words.

_There are to be no survivors. _

Inhaling deeply, Itachi lifted his blood stained kunai against his little brother's thin throat, and promptly dropped it. There was just no way he could kill his brother, a person who he loved so much. One of the only two people he truly cared about and would die for.

"Forget about this day, little brother, and forget about me," he whispered, standing straight and walking out the front door into the rain. He stayed there for a second, allowing the rain to fall on him and wash away all the blood from his pale hands, though it did not wash away the guilt. Carefully his hand went to his pocket where the scroll was hidden before walking once more, wanting to get away from the compound and village as fast as possible.

"ANIKI!" he heard Sasuke shout, and looked back to see his little brother kneeling in the rain, eyes bloodshot and looking at him with a betrayed expression. "Aniki…how could you!" he screamed above the thunder, small voice cracking at the end.

'Time to put on the act…' Itachi thought, stepping forward and leaning down to face the crying child. "I did this, Sasuke so I could prove to the rest of the village that I am stronger than them. You will learn, little brother, that hate is the only thing that makes you stronger, and I hate this village. So become stronger Sasuke. Train if you wish, and when you think you can defeat me, come after me and we shall see who will be the victor…" he said, choosing then to leave before he lost control of his emotions. He ignored the continued cries of his little brother, looking back only once to memorize Sasuke's innocent face.

He had traveled for no more than ten minutes when he ran into Kiba expectantly, the young Inuzuka gasping for breath from exertion.

"Kiba-kun…what are you doing here?" Itachi asked, surprised the brunette had braved the storm and distance. The younger only looked up with a saddened expression on his face.

"So, you did it, didn't you?" he asked, water dripping down his cheeks, his hair and clothes already soaked completely. As much as he wanted to, Itachi couldn't lie to Kiba and nodded in response, cringing as the Inuzuka sagged as though lifeless.

"They were going to take over and murder everyone…they were going to kill you…" Itachi felt as though he should explain his position. "I did not kill Sasuke…I couldn't" he added and brightened a little when Kiba looked up, a small smile on his face.

"I guess this means you are leaving then…" he stated, the smile disappearing at this realization. The raven was going to reply when Kiba suddenly stood straight and grabbed onto his long cloak, pulling the teen closer to him. "I love you, Itachi-san, and you better come back for me…promise?" he almost shouted in his brash way, not leaving anything out. Itachi felt more tears pool up in his eyes and leaned down.

"I love you too, Kiba-kun, and I promise I will come back…even though you won't remember…" he whispered and only caught a small look of confusion before he captured the boy's lips with his own, kissing him deeply to distract him while he lifted his fingers and placed them against Kiba's forehead. He felt when the boy stilled and then relaxed, falling against him as the sealing took hold of his mind. Carefully he lifted the brunette's small body and leaned him against a tree, covering him as best he could to protect him from the elements. Then he left, his promise echoing within his mind.

"I promise…I will come back…for you, Kiba-kun…my love"

**A/N: Ooookkk I know this pairing is rare, but I LOVE it...and don't mind the ages of the two. It may seem weird to some people, but I believe that if Kakashi can kill a man at age 7, then why can't Itachi and Kiba be in love? Being a ninja is dangerous, and so they have to grow up fast than what we do in the modern world^^**

**Thank you for reading**

**And please review! ^^  
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